1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data communication apparatus such as a network facsimile apparatus, and a method of communicating the image data.
2. Background Information
When a user sends data through a facsimile machine, the data generally contains a transmitter's identification. The transmitter's identification is usually registered at the facsimile machine, and is overwritten on image data or printed on the upper end of the image data received by a recipient. The transmitter's identification is generally input to the facsimile machine through its operation panel. Identification data created by a personal computer (PC) can be also sent into a facsimile machine via the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). On the other hand, registration through E-mail (electronic mail) can be practiced in a network facsimile that communicates through a network such as the Internet.
As discussed above, using a regular facsimile machine, a recipient can identify who sent a message even it has no name in a “From:” line, because the transmitter's identification is overwritten on the message or printed on the upper end of the received paper. However, in the case of the network facsimile, a message does not always arrive at a facsimile machine, but it may arrive at a terminal of a PC or a workstation, which is capable of receiving E-mail. In such a case, the terminal confirms the arrival of data with E-mail browsing software, and because the message is sent as a file attached to the E-mail, a recipient cannot identify who-sent the message until the recipient reads the attached file. When the recipient answers the message through a reply function of the browsing software, the answer is always sent back to the facsimile machine that has sent the message. Therefore, if an intended person does not watch the machine for the arrival of an answer, or another person is present at the machine, the answer is sometimes misplaced or delivered to a wrong address.
Further, a facsimile machine's operation panel does not easily register multi-digit data such as a mail address, and further, such registering is time consuming. On the other hand, registration through the PSTN requires a dedicated program at a PC side, and this method thus has not become popular. Registration through E-mail allows a simple input operation; however, a format readable by a facsimile machine must be employed. Thus, the operator must be furnished with some knowledge before registering a mail address.